Glued flap box folding machine



F. J. SPIESS GLUED FLAP BOX FOLDING MACHINE May 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 26, 1950 INVEN-oR FRANCIS-.1.SPIESS ATTORNEYS May 5, 1953 F. '.1. sPlEss GLUED' FLA? Box FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OG t. f2.6; 1950 R O T N E V m FRANCIS J.s|=1ess BY Y E N m .an A

May 5, 1953 F. J. sPlEss GLUED FLAP BOX FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i Filed Oct. 26, 1950 INVENTOR FRANCIS J. SPIESS ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. J. SPIESS INVENTOR FRANCIS J, SPIESS ATTORNEYS GLUED FLAP BOX FOLDING MACHINE May 5, 1953 Filed oct. 2e, .195o

May 5, 1953 F. J. sPlEss GLUED FLAP BOX FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 26, 1950 INVENTOR FRANCIS J.SP|ESS BY #awww/ ATTORNEYS bers and 26. Fixed members 23 and 24 extend from the loading platform 21 at one end to the squaring platform 28 at the other end. The cut box blanks 29 are placed on platform 21 between guides 30, 30 and from thence are fed under a shaft 3| journaled in frames 23 and 24. Shaft 3l is provided with a flap-forming knife roll 32, longitudinal slotting rolls 33, 34 and 35, and a segmental crushing roll 36 at the opposite end. After passing under shaft 3|, the blank passes under shaft 31 which is provided with four longitudinal score rolls 38, 39, 40 and 4|. It will be understood that cooperating shafts and rolls are provided underneath shafts 3| and 31 and that the slotting and scoring of box blanks is well Y known in the art. The transverse score lines and 46 (as seen in Fig. 11) are applied to the box blank in conventional manner. It will also be understood that roll 33 cuts slots 41 and 48, roll 34 cuts slots 49 and 50, and roll 35 cuts slots 5| and 52; whereas rolls 38-4l make score lines 53, 54, 55 and 56 respectively.

After passing under shaft 31, the scored and slotted blank appears substantially as shown in Fig. 11, having a flap 51 at one end which has been cut by roll 32, and a crushed area 58 at the opposite end which has been made by roll 36, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. This roll has a raised segment 59 having a length substantially equal to the length of flap 51 so that when the box blank 29 (which is usually of the well known corrugated cardboard construction) passes between 'roll 36 and backing roll 60, a portion of the blank between transverse scores 45 and 46 is pressed or crushed to approximately one-half its original thickness.

Shaft 6| journaled in frame members 23 and 24, carries a crushing roll 62 for the flap 51 and also is provided with pulleys 63, 63 for belts 64 and 65. As control of the box blank 29 is transferred from theV rolls on shafts 3| and 31 to belts 64 and 65, the ap 51 is compressed or crushed to approximately one-half its original thickness, as noted above. Upon passing under control of belts 64 and 65, the flap 51 passes over the gluer 66 which applies glue to the underside of the flap.

The main conveyer belts B1 and 68 also pass over pulleys 69, 69 on shaft 10 which is directly below shaft 6| (Fig. 18). Belts 61 and 68 extend longitudinally between frame members 25 and 26 and pass over pulleys 15 and 16 on shaft 11 (Fig. 3). The belts are likewise supported along their lengths on small rollers 18, 18 (shown in Fig. 2) and a plurality of box blank guide rollers 19, 19

`are adjustably mounted in bracket assemblies secured to frame members 25 and 26.

Fig. 18 illustrates the supporting framework for the upper conveyor belts 64 and 65 which comprises frame members 3| and 82 transversely slidable on rods 83 and 84. Lateral adjustment for bracket 82 is obtained by rotation of screw shafts 85 and 86 which are journaled in stationary frame member 81. Crank 88 is connected to screw shaft 4 shafts 92 and 93 mounted in the stationary frame members 23 and 24.

As the box blanks pass beyond the crushing roll 62, they appear as shown in Fig. 11 with the flap 51 and the cooperating area 58 compressed. As soon as the blanks have passed under the gluer 66, the upper portion 29a of the blank comes in contact with the folding arm 98 which bends this portion of the box around score line 54, as shown in Fig. 12. Soon after portion 29a has been elevated by arm 98, the opposite box portion 29h comes in contact with the opposite folding arm 99 which is longitudinally offset on the conveyer with respect to arm 98. Progression of the blank similarly bends portion 29h on score line 56, as shown in Fig. 13.

As the upper portion 29a leaves arm 98, it is engaged by a rotating crank |00 which is mounted on a transverseshaft |02 by means of a ratchet drive |03 controlled by a spring |04. Shaft |02 is journaled in bracket |05 on frame member 25 and is driven by a sprocket |06 and a chain |01. The opposite folding crank |00 is longitudinally offset on frame member 26 with respect to crank |00. Otherwise, the construction of the folding cranks is identical. Each crank arm proper is provided with a resilient roller |09 which is journaled on a stud ||0 fastened in the end of crank arms |80, |08 by means of a cap screw Crank |08 is mounted on shaft 2 with which it also has a spring-loaded ratchet driving connection at I3. Spring ||4 permits the crank |08 to be turned on shaft ||2 so that it may be driven in any timed relationship with the travel of the box blanks on the conveyer. Crank |08 is driven by means of a. sprocket I l5 secured to shaft |2 and a chain |6. Fig. 13 shows the upper portion of the box blank 29a folded completely fiat by crank |00 and at the same time the opposite portion 29h has been partially folded by means of the arm 99. As the blank further advances along the conveyer, crank |08 folds down the portion 29b so that the crushed area 58 on portion 29h overlaps the ap 51 as shown in Fig. 14.

Due to the fact that the scoring rolls 39 and 4I may register either between corrugations on the box blank or on top of a corrugation or in any intermediate location, it sometimes happens that the score lines do not provide a completely squared blank after the folding arms have performed their function. Such a blank is shown in Fig. 16 in which it will be noted that the edges of portions 29a and 29b are not in line. In order to insure that the box blanks when finally glued are completely square, I provide a pair of conditioning and squaring rolls |20, |2| transversely opposite each other on frames 25 and 26 respectively. The periphery of each roll |20 and |2| has a V-shaped portion |22 which terminates in an annular narrow groove |23 of substantially less width than twice the thickness of the box blank. The rolls are mounted on adjustable bracket assemblies |25 and |26, and the roll shafts |21 and |28 are provided with driven pulf leys |29 and |30 respectively, that are in turn driven from shaft 11 through belts |3|, E 32 and pulleys |33, |34 on shaft 11.

As the folded blanks proceed along the conveyer belt, the slotted edges 29o and 29d are engaged by the rolls |20 and |2 Some crushing effect takes place on these slotted edges 29o, 29d, but the material that has previously been removed by the slotting operation somewhat reduces the lateral pressure between the rolls, and consequently the amount of. crushing or softenadjacent the folded edge of the box blank, a second box folding arm rotatably mounted in staggered relation to the opposite edge of the folded box blank, means for timing said box folding arms with respect to the conveyer belt, a concave crushing roll mounted on either side of the edge of the advancing box blank, a backstop against which the folded box blanks are delivered after passing through the conditioning rolls, aligning means for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop, and a second conveyer for carrying the folded box blanks transversely away `from the backstop.

4. The sub-combination in a box folding machine which comprises a pair of longitudinal parallel frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said frame members, a plurality of Aroll shafts mounted in advance of said frame ,members a plurality of cutting rolls on said roll shafts, at least one of said cutting rolls forming a flap on a box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said flap to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a flap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a first rigid folding arm mounted on one of said frame members, a second rigid folding a-rm in lateral staggered relation to said first folding arm, said second arm being mounted on the other of said frame members, a first driven crank rotatable in `a vertical plane and mounted on one of said frame members adjacent the terminus of the first folding arm, a second driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane mounted in the other of said frame members adjacent the terminus of the second folding arm, means for rotating each of said cranks in timed relation to the conveyer belt travel, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely opposite each other on the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said cranks, a vertical shaft for each of said conditioning rolls, means for driving each of said shafts, Walls around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V-shaped annular notch, walls on each of said rolls dening an annular groove at the base of said notch, a transverse conveyer positioned at a station subsequent to the conditioning rolls, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse conveyer, and a reciprocating blade for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

5. The sub-combination in a box folding machine which comprises a pair of longitudinal parallel frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said frame members, a plurality of rol1 shafts mounted in advance of said frame members, a plurality of cutting rolls on said roll shafts, at least one of said cutting rolls forming a fiap on a box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said flap to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a nap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a first rigid folding arm mounted on one of said frame members, a second rigid folding arm in lateral staggered relation to said first folding arm, said second arm being mounted on the other of said frame members. a first driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane and mounted on one of said frame members adjacent the terminus of the rst folding arm, a second driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane mounted in the other of said frame members adjacent the terminus of the second folding arm, means for rotating each of said cranks in timed relation to the conveyer belt travel, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely opposite each other on the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said cranks, a vertical shaft for each of said conditioning rolls, means for driving each of said shafts, walls around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V-shaped annular notch, walls on each of said rolls defining an annular groove at the base of said notch, a transverse conveyer positioned at a. station subsequent to the conditioning rolls, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse conveyer, a reciprocating blade for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop, and means for pressing the stacked box blanks on the transverse conveyer to complete gluing of the tab While the blanks are being beaten up between the blade and the backstop.

6. The sub-combination in a box folding machine which comprises a pair of longitudinal parallel frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said frame members, means for feeding box blanks to said conveyer belt, means for crushing transverse marginal areas on each of said blanks, means positioned on each of said frame members for folding the ends of the box blanks to present said crushed areas in overlapping relationship, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely opposite each other on the frame members, walls around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V- shaped annular notch, and walls on each of said rolls defining an annular groove at the base of said notch, said groove being less than twice the thickness of the box blank.

7. The sub-combination in a box folding machine which comprises a pair of longitudinal parallel frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said frame members, means for feeding box blanks to said conveyer belt, means for crushing transverse marginal areas on each of said blanks, means positioned on each of said frame members for folding the ends of the box blanks to present said crushed areas in overlapping relationship, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely opposite each other on the frame members, walls around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V-shaped annular notch, walls on each of said rolls defining an annular groove at the base of said notch, said groove being less than twice the thickness of the box blank, a transverse conveyer positioned at a. station subsequent to the conditioning rolls, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse conveyer, and a reciprocating blade for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

8. The sub-combination in a box folding machine which comprises a pair of longitudinal parallel frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said frame members, means for feeding box blanks to said conveyer belt, means for crushing transverse marginal areas on each of said blanks, means positioned on each of said frame members for fol-ding. the. ends of the box blanks to present said crushed areas in overlaps ping relationship, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely` opposite each other on the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said cranks, a vertical shaft for each of said conditioning rolls, means for. driving each of said shafts, WallsY around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V-,shaped annularnotch, wallsV on each of said rolls denning an annular groove at the base of said notch, oisubstantially less width than twice the thickness of a box blank, a transverse conveyer positioned at a station subsequent to the conditioning rolls, a backs-top positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against, the backstop and onto, the transverse con.- veyer, and a reciprocating blade for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

9. A box folding machine comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal stationary frame members, a pair of transversely adjustable frame members supported between said stationary frame meinbers, means for simultaneously adjusting said second named frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said adjustable frame members, a plurality of roll shafts journaled in said stationary frame members in advance of the adjustable frame members, at least one cutting roll on said shafts for forming a flap on the box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said nap to substantially onehalf its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a nap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a first rigid folding arm mounted on one of the adjustable frame members, a second rigid folding arm in lateral staggered relation to said first folding arm, said second arm being mounted on the other of said adjustable frame members, a rst driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane and mounted adjacent the terminus of the flrst folding arm, a second driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane mounted adjacent the terminus of the second folding arm, means for rotating each of said cranks in timed relation to the conveyer belt travel, at least one conditioning roll mounted on one of the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said cranks, a vertical shaft for said conditioning roll, means for driving said shaft, Walls around the periphery of said conditioning roll dening a V-shaped annular notch, Walls on said roll defining an annular groove at the base of said notch, of substantially less width than twice the thickness of a box blank, a transverse conveyor positioned at a station subsequent to the conditioning roll, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the adjustn able frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse conveyer, and a reciprocating blade journaled on the stationary frame members for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

1G. A box folding machine comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal stationary frame members, a pair of transversely adjustable frame members supported between said stationary .frame members, means for simultaneously adjusting said second named frame members, a conve-yer belt mounted on each of said adjustable frame members, a pluralityT of roll shafts journaled in said stationary4 frame members in ad.- vance of the adjustable frame members, at least one cutting roll on said shafts for formingal flap on the, box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said iiap to. substantially one-half its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a flap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a first rigid folding arm mounted on one of the adjustable frame members, a second rigid folding arm in lateral staggered relation to said iirst folding arm, said second arm being mounted on the other ci said adjustable frame members, a rst driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane and mounted adjacent the terminus of the first folding arm, a second driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane mounted adjacent the terminus of the second folding arm, means for rotating each of said cranks in timed relation to the conveyer belt travel, at least one conditioning roll mounted on one ofy the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said cranks, a vertical shaft for said conditioning roll, means for driving said shaft, Walls around the periphery of said con-4 ditioning roll dening a V-shaped annular notch., and walls on said roll defining an annular groove at the base of said notch, of substantially less Width than twice the thickness of a box blank.

1l. A box folding machine comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal stationary frame members, a pair of transversely adjustable frame members supported between said stationary frame members, means for simultaneously adjusting said second named frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said adjustable frame members, a plurality of roll shafts journaled in said stationary frame members in advance of the adjustable frame members, a plurality of cutting rolls on said roll shafts, at least one of said cutting rolls forming a flap on a box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said flap to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a flap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a gluer mounted on one of the stationary frame members for applying glue to one side of the flap, means positioned on each of said frame members for folding the ends of the box blanks to present said crushed areas in overlapping relationship, a pair of conditioning rolls mounted transversely opposite each other on the adjustable frame members and at a station subsequent to said folding means, a vertical shaft for each of said conditioning rolls, means for driving each of said shafts, walls around the periphery of each of said conditioning rolls defining a V-shaped annular notch, walls on each of said rolls deiining an annular groove at the base of said notch, of substantially less width than twice the thickness of a box blank, a transverse conveyer positioned at a station subsequent to the conditioning rolls, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the adjustable frame members, kicker means yfor depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse conveyer, and a reciprocating blade journaled on the stationary frame members for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

l2. A box folding machine comprising a pair o1" parallel longitudinal stationary fra-me members, a pair of transversely adjustable frame members supported between said stationary frame members, means for simultaneously adjusting said second named frame members, a conveyer belt mounted on each of said adjustable frame members, a plurality of roll shafts journaled in said stationary frame members in advance of the adjustable frame members, a plurality of cutting rolls on said roll shafts, at least one of said cutting rolls forming a flap on a box blank, a crushing roll positioned on one of said shafts for compressing said ap to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a second crushing roll mounted on one of said shafts for compressing a. flap-cooperating area on the opposite end of the box blank to substantially one-half its initial thickness, a gluer mounted on one of the stationary frame members for applying glue to one side of the flap, a rst rigid folding arm mounted on one of the adjustable frame members, a second rigid folding arm in lateral staggered relation to said rst folding arm, said second arm being mounted on the other of said adjustable frame members, a first driven crank rotatable in a vertical plane and mounted adjacent the terminus of the rst folding arm, a second driven l2 crank rotatable in a vertical plane mounted adjacent the terminus of the second folding arm, means for rotating each of said cranks in timed relation to the conveyer belt travel, a transverse conveyer positioned at a station contiguous to the terminus of the conveyer belts, a backstop positioned over said transverse conveyer and in alignment with the adjustable frame members, kicker means for depositing folded box blanks against the backstop and onto the transverse con- Veyer, and a reciprocating blade journaled on the stationary frame members for beating up the folded box blanks against the backstop.

FRANCIS J. SPIESS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 795,949 Wright Aug. 1, 1905 '799,942 Roehl Sept. 19, 1905 1,104,465 Adams July 21, 1914 2,029,394 Sidebotham Feb. 4, 1936 2,236,664 Arneson Apr. 1, 1941 2,517,449 Shields Aug. 1, 1950 

